Voter who snubbed Verlander feels 'bad that people are upset'

Hindsight is 20/20.

With about a week left in the regular season, Bill Chastain of MLB.com submitted his American League Cy Young ballot:

Rick Porcello, Zach Britton, Corey Kluber, Chris Sale, and Masahiro Tanaka, in that order.

On Wednesday, Porcello claimed his first Cy Young award after narrowly edging out Justin Verlander despite the Detroit Tigers right-hander finishing with more first-place votes. Chastain was one of only two writers - both from Tampa Bay - who didn't have Verlander on his ballot.

"At the time, I thought I picked the best five guys," Chastain told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. "Maybe I should have waited until the end. When I voted, it looked pretty clear to me."

FINAL VOTES

Verlander would win his next two starts after Chastain submitted his vote, allowing just one run over 14 2/3 innings while striking out 20.

Both Chastain and Fred Goodall of the Associated Press have received much criticism for not having Verlander on their ballots - with the brunt of the anger directed from Verlander's fiance Kate Upton.

"I feel bad that people are upset about this; I did the best I could," Chastain said. "I went around the clubhouse, I asked guys. I agonized over this. The biggest thing for me was between Britton and Porcello."

He added: "There's nothing I can do about it now."